


And The Three Bears

by orphan_account



Series: Stucky AUs [5]
Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Meet-Cute, i don't know what i'm doing but that's not really new now is it, liho the cat - Freeform, ok sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-22
Updated: 2016-02-22
Packaged: 2018-05-22 15:02:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6084156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve didn't mean to become Goldilocks, it just sort of... happened.</p>
            </blockquote>





	And The Three Bears

**Author's Note:**

> ?????

Nat doesn't have a flatmate, Steve's pretty sure. She lives in her cutesy two-bedroom apartment by herself. He just doesn't get why she'd bother lying about it.

The thing is, she says she's got a flatmate but in the three years Steve's known her he's never once met this flatmate of hers. His bedroom has no personal items, no one Steve knows (apart from Nat) has met this James, and Nat doesn't ask him to feed her damn cat when she's away. The only proof he might exist is the pizzas he leaves in Nat's fridge that no one is allowed to touch. Although, Steve's starting to think they might be Nat's pizzas and she's pretending they're her flatmate's to stop anyone from trying. Not that anyone with half a brain would try to take something of Nat's, but still.

So yeah, Steve's only half surprised when Nat asks him to house-sit and feed Liho while she's away.

"It's only for a week. Ten days tops." She says in a tone that leads Steve to believe she thinks she's already convinced him (and so what if that's true). Her apartment's nicer than his, the air's fresher and better for his lungs.

"But what about James?" Steve asks innocently. Natasha doesn't bat an eye.

"He's away. Tried contacting him but couldn't reach him so I don't know when he's due back. If he comes home you can leave him in charge of Liho and my plants." She says, finishing the immaculate line of blood red lipstick. That shade of red ought to clash with the orange of her hair, Steve thinks absently, but somehow it doesn't.

"You can sleep on the couch but if your back plays up-" Steve's about to protest, but Nat shoots him a look that stops the words before they leave his lips- "you can sleep in my bed. I don't mind."

"I haven't said yes." Steve points out, following her out of her room and through to the living room.

"I know." She replies with a smile, picking up her duffle bag. "I'll call you if I can, but otherwise I'll see you in a week. Ten days. Maybe a fortnight." And with a kiss to his cheek, she's gone.

* * *

 

 

It doesn't take Steve long to pack a bag and before he knows it he's saying goodbye to his shitty little shoebox apartment for a week. He knows he should move out, get a better place. He could afford one, too. It just doesn't feel like it'd be worth the effort. And it's not that shitty, it just feels more so when he knows he's spending the next week or so at Nat's perfect little place.

It's raining and Steve grumbles to himself. He loves his bike more than anything but he's never been a big fan of riding it in the rain. It's only a short ride from his place to Nat's but he's drenched when he arrives. He fumbles with his keys for a second, picking out his copy and unlocking the door. Liho's perched on the arm of the sofa and looks up when Steve comes in.

"Hey buddy," Steve coos. Liho twitches his ear in disdain but keeps his eyes on Steve.

"Sorry Liho, I'm gonna set up my bed now." Liho doesn't acknowledge Steve- not that he was expecting a response from a cat- as he unfolds the sofa into a bed and makes it up with sheets from Nat's cupboards.

Steve finishes up around the house- brushing his teeth, setting his alarm, and refilling Liho's bowl. The last thing he wants is to be woken at 3 in the morning by the meowing furball.

* * *

 

  
Steve wakes up at 5 but it's not to meowing. Liho's warm fur is smothering him. Steve swats at the cat, but Liho just starts purring.

"Get off me, you asshole." Steve mutters. Liho's still in the way, though, so his voice comes out all muffled. He manages to push the cat to the side and tries to get back to sleep. He still has two hours before he needs to get up and he'd like to make the most of that time by not being awake.

Liho has other ideas. As soon as Steve's comfortable again Liho climbs on top of him and settles down in the crook of his neck. He's still purring.

Steve picks him up and sets him down on the floor but before he can lie back down Liho's up again, headbutting Steve with unbridled affection.

"Who knew you were such a sap, huh?" Steve sighs, scooping the cat up and getting comfortable. Liho curls into Steve's chest and Steve huffs a sigh. He doesn't get back to sleep.

* * *

 

 

"You look like shit." Sharon says when she sees him. He's in the staff room nursing a cup of coffee. His back hurts and he's tired and it's only been one night.

"Nat's devil cat is awful and her fold out couch is even worse." He grumbles, taking a sip of his coffee. "And this coffee tastes like ass."

"You stayed at Nat's? On a school night? You're like a child." She laughs. Steve glares at her.

"I'm staying there for a week or two while she's away. Watering her plants and feeding her cat. Because she's a filthy liar and her flatmate doesn't actually exist." Sharon is friends with Nat, has been to her house. She hasn't met James either.

"So sleep in his bed." She suggests, leaning over to try his coffee. "If he doesn't exist he's not going to know. Christ, Steve, this is awful." She pulls a face and sets his coffee back down. "You sure that's even coffee?"

"Liquid death." Steve supplies. "Nat said I could sleep in her bed, but that feels weird."

"So sleep in this James guy's bed. Steve, we all know he isn't real. I've known Nat longer than you, it's been five years and I've never even seen a photo of him. You've slept there before, this is no different than then."

Steve nods, considering it. Sharon's right, he usually sleeps in James's bed when he stays over. It's a comfortable bed. He can wash the sheets and remake the bed, Nat would never have to know.

"Yeah, okay."

* * *

 

 

Steve shuts the door to Ja- the spare bedroom when he goes to bed. He doesn't want a repeat of last night with Liho all over him. He's just showered and changed into a big t-shirt and flannel pants and as he crawls under the covers of the big bed he sighs. It's the most comfortable he thinks he's ever been in his life.

He's asleep by ten.

* * *

 

 

There's a spring in his step when he gets to the school and it must be as obvious as it feels because he's getting weird looks.

"I take it you slept in the spare room?" Sharon guesses when Steve practically skips into the staff room. Steve hums in affirmation and pours himself a coffee.

"I always sleep well in that bed, I can't believe I forgot how wonderful it is." His dreamy sigh is only half staged. He feels so refreshed that even the cheap coffee doesn't bring him down.

"Whoa, dude, that is not natural." Sam says as soon as he sees Steve. Steve rolls his eyes at him and pokes out his tongue.

"I don't think I've ever seen you smiling like that before noon. Or, ever." Sam gives him a toothy grin and reaches for the coffee. "Ew, no, okay, it's not the coffee then." He spits, pulling a face. Steve laughs and winks at Sam.

"Oh my God, you got laid didn't you?"

"If by laid you mean laid to rest in the most comfortable bed in existence for a solid 9 hours, then yes. It was so beautiful I cried." Steve closes his eyes and smiles at Sam over his mug as the morning bell goes. "I'm so well rested I'm not even upset it's time to start teaching."

"Yeah, well, teaching art isn't exactly hard now, is it..." Sam mutters playfully as Steve passes him.

"Sure thing, Mr P.E." Steve shoots back before disappearing down the hallway.

* * *

 

 

It's just Steve, Liho, and reruns of Friends and he's so content. Liho's fixed in his lap, purring his heart out and Steve's just finished his beer. He'd considered inviting Sam round but that was before Liho sat himself down in Steve's lap and demanded attention as compensation for sleeping with the door shut. And Steve's always liked his downtime.

So he's by himself- because Liho doesn't really count- when a Pizza Hut ad comes on. And then Steve remembers there's always pizza in Nat's freezer. For her "flatmate". Steve figures if he's already sleeping in "James's" bed, he might as well eat his pizza, too. He can replace it before Nat gets back, anyway.

Liho begrudgingly lets him up to put the pizza in the oven, then just-as-begrudgingly lets him up again to take it out of the oven. It's the best pizza he's ever had, Steve reckons. The perfect way to finish the night.

Liho gets up off Steve's lap to see what's in his food bowl and Steve takes that opportunity to stand up and get ready for bed. He decides to let Liho sleep with him because it's a Saturday and he doesn't need to get up early tomorrow. He leaves the door slightly ajar so Liho can come and go if he needs to and settles down under the thick duvet.

Steve's just on the brink of sleep when he hears the faint patter of Liho's feet, then feels him jump up onto the bed and curl up against Steve's flank.

* * *

  
There's a small crash- more like a thud, really- in the early hours of the morning. Steve's only half awake, buried under the blankets. He hopes Liho hasn't brought in a dead rat- or even worse, an alive one. The bedroom door creaks slightly and Liho must fling himself at the bed because Steve can definitely feel the dip in the mattress beside him. He's still mostly asleep, though, and doesn't acknowledge the damn cat in hopes he'll be left alone.

* * *

 

  
Steve wakes up to a warm body pressed up against him. He lets out a content sigh. Maybe he should get a cat. He knows he's gonna miss cuddling with Liho when Nat gets home and he has to return to his own flat. The thought makes Steve frown so he pushes it aside and opts to pulling Liho closer.

Except it's not Liho. It's a human head.

Steve screams.

He likes to think he's dignified in his response but he's really not. He sounds like a six year old and that would be embarrassing if there wasn't a stranger in his bed.

"Who the hell are you?" He shouts as the man bolts up.

" _Me_? Who the hell am _I_? Who the hell are you?" The guy pulls the sheet up to cover his chest, as if he didn't already have a shirt on.

"I- I'm Steve. Why did you get into bed with me?" Steve's suddenly struck with he idea that this is James, James exists and he's just found Steve in his bed. Shit.

"I didn't see you! I was half asleep and you're tiny! This is not my fault." He seems to realise he's clutching the sheet up for no real reason and drops it. They're both still in the bed. "Oh, I'm Bucky." He adds as an afterthought.

Steve's shoulders sag in relief- this isn't James, Steve isn't the weird one here.

"That still doesn't explain what you're doing in my bed." Steve says. Maybe Bucky is one of Nat's friends, with a spare key like Steve. Maybe he knows James doesn't exist (or maybe Nat never even tried to fool him). Maybe he's Nat's long lost brother, or-

"Your bed? Pal, don't even start." Bucky pushes his hair out of his eyes with one hand and Steve notices it's greasy. And that Bucky stinks. He scrunches up his nose.

"Okay, Bucky. Go have a shower and we'll talk about whatever the fuck this is over coffee."

"Wow, the tiny Goldilocks is bossy." Bucky mutters under his breath, but he gets up and a minute later Steve can hear the shower running.

 

  
The coffee's just finished brewing when Bucky steps out of his room fully clothed. Steve silently hands him a cup and waits for Bucky to down half of it before speaking.

"So. I'm Steve, Nat's cat-sitter. She's away for about another week." He offers. Bucky nods along.

"That makes sense. Nat has a photo of you and her in her room."

Steve narrows his eyes. Who the hell is Bucky? Why is he in Nat's house and how does he know she has a picture of them in her room? "Who are you?"

Bucky looks taken aback at the question, and almost- offended?

"She's never mentioned me?" Bucky asks, his voice laced with disbelief. "How long have you known her?"

"Three years? Give or take."

"Three years and she never mentioned me. What the hell." Bucky frowns into his cup and Steve kind of just wants to give him a hug.

"So, who _are_ you?" Steve pushes. Bucky looks up.

"I'm her flatmate."

"You're not her flatmate, Bucky. Nat doesn't even have a flatmate." Steve scoffs. Bucky flinches.

"Okay, so maybe I'm not around as much as I should be but yes, she does have a flatmate. And it's me." He's avoiding Steve's eyes and picking at his nails. Something heavy settles in Steve's stomach. He never meant to upset him but now Bucky looks like he might cry.

"I'm sorry, I never meant to upset you. She just- she never mentioned you. No one's ever met you before. Hell, she even said her flatmate was called James."  
  
"Of course she did." Bucky says, his head snapping up. "James is my first name, Nat's the only one who calls me that."

Steve buries his face in his hands, his elbows propped up on the counter. "I cant believe you actually exist." He groans. "I can't believe I slept in your bed." When Steve looks back up Bucky's grinning at him.

"Water under the bridge, man. We're cool."

* * *

 

 

 _Unknown Number, 5:43pm_  
_You ate my pizza?? Not cool bro_  
  
It's Bucky. It's got to be because Steve hasn't eaten anyone else's pizza in a decent amount of time.

So it's Bucky. Either that or a stranger getting the wrong number.

It's Bucky.

 _Me, 5:45pm_  
_How did u get my number?_

 _Unknown Number, 5:45pm_  
_It's on the fridge. You still owe me pizza_

Steve sighs and gets up from the couch. He may be a bit of a dick, but he's a nice one.

* * *

 

  
It's almost 6:30 by the time Steve gets to Nat's- Bucky's- Nat and Bucky's. Weird.

He's got his own key but knowing Bucky's home makes him feel way too uncomfortable to just barge on in. That and the fact Bucky caught him sleeping in his bed.

Bucky opens the door with a yawn and nothing but a singlet and boxer shorts on. Steve can't help the blush that spreads across his cheeks.

"I got you a pizza. Because I ate your one." He mumbles, suddenly embarrassed with the whole thing. He shouldn't have done this. He should've just brought another frozen pizza over the next time he visited Nat.

"Oh my God. Pizza." Bucky gasps, stepping back from the door and waving Steve in. "I'd say you're an angel but seeing as you ate my other pizza in the first place..."

"I really am sorry about that." Steve says. "If I thought you were real I wouldn't have touched it. Or your bed." He's really just digging his grave now but he can't really seem to stop. Luckily, Bucky just laughs.

"You had reasonable doubt, Goldilocks." Bucky pulls out two plates and sets them and the pizza down on the coffee table.

"Oh, that's all for you. I ate your whole pizza, I can't eat half your apology-replacement pizza, too." Steve says, getting ready to leave.

"Bullshit. If it makes you that uncomfortable, you can buy me another one some other time." Bucky shimmies over so Steve has enough room. "Besides, it gets lonely here when Nat's away."

Bucky flicks on the tv, some documentary on elephants, and they fall into a surprisingly comfortable silence. Liho settles into Steve's lap halfway through the night, purring up a storm.

"I can't believe he actually likes you." Bucky says in bewilderment. "He doesn't like anyone other than Nat."

"What can I say?" Steve shrugs. "I'm a lovable person." Bucky snorts and kicks Steve's foot. They turn their attention back to the screen and Steve pretends not to be super aware of Bucky's warmth seeping through from where their shoulders are almost pressed together.

* * *

 

 

"James exists." Steve announces when Sharon walks into the room. She stops in her tracks and stares at him.

"What?" Her eyes are wide and she almost drops the books she's carrying.

"James exists. He calls himself Bucky and found me asleep in his bed after I ate his pizza."

"This is simultaneously the best and worst thing I have ever heard." Sharon says with a grin, finally unfreezing from the doorway and sitting down next to Steve. "Tell me everything."

"There's not really much to tell." Steve says with a shrug. "He works in the same department as Nat so he's always away. He doesn't like the cat and he's surprisingly friendly towards me even after I told him he doesn't exist and slept in his bed."

"My God. This is brilliant." Sharon laughs. "Get a photo of him, I need to see this."

* * *

 

 

 _Bucky Nat's Real Flatmate Who Actually Exists, 6:37pm_  
_Bring me pizzaaaaaaaa_

It's suddenly Friday again and all Steve's heard from Nat since she left is the text she sent on Wednesday, saying she's another week away. He didn't bother replying, still bitter about her existent flatmate.

Bucky, however, seems to be loving having a new friend. A new friend that owes him half a pizza, too. Steve groans and laces up his boots.

* * *

 

 

"Whoa, you actually bought me a pizza." Bucky grins when Steve turns up on his doorstep. Steve tosses the box on the coffee table and kicks off his shoes.

"We're even now." He grumbles, flicking through the channels before leaving it on House Rules. Nothing decent's on.

"We're not even until I've slept in your bed." Bucky says, flopping down next to Steve. "Wait... That didn't come out right."

Steve snorts. "You're not wrong there."

Liho materializes seemingly out of nowhere and snuggles up to Steve. "Bucky might never forgive me but you will always love me, won't you Liho? Yes, yes you will." Steve coos, scratching under his chin. Liho purrs and kneads at Steve's thigh.

"Fuckin' cat." Bucky mutters under his breath, only just loud enough for Steve to hear.

 

  
"I think I'm going to quit my job. Or at least move divisions." Bucky says halfway through their third episode of Scrubs. They put it on before House Rules even ended, not wanting to put up the the shitshow.

"Why's that?" Steve asks. Bucky shrugs.

"I don't like travelling so often. It was great at first but I'm almost thirty now. It's getting a bit lonely." Steve risks a glance at Bucky but Bucky's fixed on the tv.

"Occasional travel's okay, but I spend more time away from home than actually here. As cliched and it sounds, I just want stability."

"It's a cliche for a reason." Steve says. "It's cliche because it's a valid feeling. I can't imagine having to travel constantly." He shudders and the thought and Liho lets out a mewl of annoyance.

Between the easy chatter with Bucky and the continuous episodes of Scrubs, it's suddenly nearing one in the morning.

"I should be getting home." Steve says, making absolutely no effort to get up.

"Just stay here." Bucky offers, stretching his arms above his head. He closes his eyes and yawns and Steve finds himself tracking the movements of his muscles. Damn.

"The couch wrecks my back. But thanks for the offer." Steve tries to stand but Liho digs his claws in.

"Is it weird to say you can sleep in my bed? I can sleep in Nat's. Or we can share. It's not like we haven't done it before." Bucky says with a grin. Steve finds himself melting a little bit on the inside at that grin.

"Your bed is so comfortable." Steve murmurs absently. "But I can't kick you out."

"So it's settled." Bucky says. "We'll both sleep in mine. Lord knows it's big enough."

* * *

 

  
Steve wakes up wrapped in Bucky's arms and Liho in his own. They're like a spoon-train, he notes, and forces down a laugh. Bucky's breathing is slow and even, he's clearly still asleep and Steve doesn't want to wake him.

He lets himself enjoy the warmth of another body next to his for a few minutes, pretending it isn't weird. He needs to pee, though, and gets up a lot sooner than he wants to.

When he passes Bucky's door on the way back from the bathroom he desperately wants to give in to the urge and go back to bed. But he's up now. It's one thing to stay in bed with Bucky, but another thing entirely to go back to bed after he's gotten up. So he opts for making coffee and cooking up some eggs instead.

Bucky, Steve learns, has and uncanny ability of entering the room just as the food's ready. He comes in all soft-looking and sleepy and Steve's heart does funny things. Not the funny things that wind him up in a hospital bed, but funny things that make him want to kiss Bucky's sleepy face and take him back to bed.

Shut up, Rogers.

"What's on the menu?" Bucky asks, blinking slowly. It's so endearing Steve forgets he's meant to be answering for a moment.

"Um, eggs. Toast. Coffee." He stutters out. He feels clumsy, like a faulty tap spitting out water in sporadic intervals. Bucky doesn't notice, though, still half asleep.

"These eggs are beautiful." Bucky sighs, a look of pure bliss on his face. Steve hides his smile in his coffee and nods.

"Glad you like them."

They potter around the apartment for a while, but Steve grows more and more aware that he has no real reason to stay. It's about noon when he finally decides to leave.

"I should get going. Papers to grade, stuff like that." He says, shrugging on his motorcycle jacket. Bucky walks him to the door.

"Thanks for coming over. For the pizza. Eggs. Company. It's been good." Bucky says awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. Steve hesitates, then takes a step out the door.

"I'll see you later."

"Yeah, definitely." Bucky says, leaning in to kiss his cheek before closing the door. Steve's frozen just outside the door, wondering what the hell just happened. It takes him three long seconds to pull himself together and knock on the door. Bucky opens it immediately, his cheeks scarlet and eyes wide.

"I'm s-" He starts, but Steve cuts him off with a kiss. Bucky's hands go to Steve's waist and Steve can't help but smile.

"You should ask me out." He whispers against Bucky's lips. Bucky cracks a smile, his thumbs rubbing circles into Steve's hips.

"Wanna go out with me some time?" He asks. Steve can feel his heart jack hammering where their chests are pressed together.

"Hell yeah."

**Author's Note:**

> please give me promtps idk what to write but i wanna


End file.
